History Main / WedlockBlock

* ''Anime/RanmaOneHalf''': Shampoo's younger sisters try to force Ranma to uphold his AccidentalProposal to Shampoo, on grounds that they can't get married until Shampoo does (at least in the French dub).

* ''Anime/RanmaOneHalf''': Shampoo's younger sisters try to force Ranma to uphold his AccidentalProposal to Shampoo, because they can't get married until Shampoo does.

* As a matter of basic thoughtfulness, if you and your fiance get engaged around the same time as close mutual friends or relatives, someone will almost certainly have to wait, unless they agree to go for a double wedding option. This is not only to avoid Claire and Dan upstaging AliceAndBob, but also because of the expense the mutual friends and family would have regarding wedding gifts, bridesmaid dresses, etc.

A couple or several couples are ready to get married, but they're not allowed to (probably because someone's [[ParentalMarriageVeto parents won't allow it]]) because someone else's nuptials (usually an older sister's) have to take place first. This can cause delightful complication if a lesser priority couple needs to AltarTheSpeed. SettleForSibling is often the result of this.

* Found frequently throughout the works of Creator/JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth--the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married. In contrast, once Charlotte Lucas' engagement is announced, her sisters are delighted because now it looks like they'll be [[HaveAGayOldTime coming out]] maybe a year or so earlier than they expected.

* The UrExample is Jacob's story in Literature/TheBible, which play with this trope in that while Jacob wants younger daughter Rachel, Laban wants to marry off older daughter Leah off first, [[BrideAndSwitch so tricks Jacob into marrying both of them in succession]], [[ManipulativeBastard securing seven more years of Jacob's labor for Rachel]].

* Found frequently throughout the works of Creator/JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth - the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married. In contrast, once Charlotte Lucas' engagement is announced, her sisters are delighted because now it looks like they'll be [[HaveAGayOldTime coming out]] maybe a year or so earlier than they expected.

* "The Lindworm" has the titular character demand to be wed ahead of his twin brother (with the rallying cry "a bride for me before a bride for you!"), as he is well aware that his monstrous form compared to his brother's has made him the ire of his family. He ''ensures'' that he is wed before the other prince by blocking the latter's routes to other kingdoms during his own search for a bridal candidate.

* In ''Theatre/OnceUponAMattress'', a law forbids anyone in the kingdom from marrying before Prince Dauntless does.

* The UrExample is Jacob's story in Literature/TheBible, which play with this trope in that while Jacob wants younger daughter Rachel, Laban wants to marry off older daughter Leah off first, [[{{Polyamory}} so tricks Jacob into marrying both of them in succession]], [[ManipulativeBastard securing seven more years of Jacob's labor for Rachel]].

Compare UnableToSupportAWife.

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[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Religion ]]

[[folder: Theatre ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

[[folder: Truth In Television ]]

* In ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'', the '90s SettingUpdate to ''Theater/TheTamingOfTheShrew'', a strict father will not allow his social butterfly of a younger daughter to date until his iconoclastic older daughter does.

* Found frequently throughout the works of Creator/JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth - the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married. In contrast, once Charlotte Lucas' engagement is announced, her sisters are delighted because now it looks like they'll be [[HaveAGayOldTime coming out]] maybe a year or so earlier than they expected.

* A variation in ''Literature/ABrothersPrice''. This is a world where men are so rare that they marry every sister in a family, sisters who themselves are descended from several different women. After the disastrous marriage to [[HotGuysAreBastards Keifer]], the Queens tell their eldest surviving daughter, who is very much in love, that the princesses can only marry the boy if ''all'' of her living of-age sisters agree to marry him. Since one has been missing for months and another is [[DoesNotLikeMen too put off by Keifer to consider it]], Ren has a hard time of it.

[[AC:Fairy Tales]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* One of ''Film/{{The Brady Bunch|Movie}}'' movies has the parents reluctant to officially approve Jan's marriage plans because Marcia is single. Naturally this puts Marcia in an awkward position, as she explains to a random male stranger she meets shortly thereafter...and, naturally, this begins a relationship [[FourthDateMarriage and a double wedding soon ensues]].

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]
* Found frequently throughout the works of Creator/JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth - the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married. In contrast, once Charlotte Lucas' engagement is announced, her sisters are delighted because now it looks like they'll be [[HaveAGayOldTime coming out]] maybe a year or so earlier than they expected.

[[AC:{{Religion}}]]

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

[[AC:TruthInTelevision]]

* One of ''TheBradyBunch'' movies has the parents reluctant to officially approve Jan's marriage plans because Marcia is single. Naturally this puts Marcia in an akward position, as she explains to a random male stranger she meets shortly thereafter...and, naturally, this begins a relationship [[FourthDateMarriage and a double wedding soon ensues]].

* Found frequently throughout the works of Creator/JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth - the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married.

A couple or several couples are ready to get married, but they're not allowed to (probably because someone's [[ParentalMarriageVeto parents won't allow]]) because someone else's nuptials (usually an older sister's) have to take place first. This can cause delightful complication if a lesser priority couple needs to AltarTheSpeed. SettleForSibling is often the result of this.

** See also ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'', the '90s SettingUpdate.

* In ''OnceUponAMattress'', a law forbids anyone in the kingdom from marrying before Prince Dauntless does.

* One of ''TheBradyBunch'' movies has the parents reluctant to officially approve Jan's marriage plans because Marcia is single. Marcia explains this problem to a random male stranger she meets...resulting in a [[FourthDateMarriage Fourth Date Double Marriage]] with Jan and her beau.

* Found frequently throughout the works of JaneAusten. Though it is not required, it is considered highly improper if the daughters do not marry in order of their birth - the only time it's acceptable is if the older sister slips into the category of "Old Maid" [[ChristmasCake around age twenty-three]]. Furthermore, it's considered unusual (as in ''PrideAndPrejudice'') to have the youngest daughter (of five) "out" (accepted as grown-up and eligible for marriage) before the eldest is married.

* Cristabel, the "hottie" in ''Film/TheHottieAndTheNottie'', self-imposes this trope: She won't even think about having a relationship until her best friend, the [[TheGrotesque hideously ugly]] June Phigg, has a boyfriend.